The present invention relates to a hydraulic tensioning system that is used in traction mechanism drives, in particular, chain drives of internal combustion engines. The tensioning system comprises a crucible-shaped piston that is guided in a linearly displaceable manner in a housing provided as the cylinder and that is spring-loaded directly or indirectly against a traction mechanism. As a function of an actuating-movement direction of the piston, the hydraulic fluid of the tensioning system is discharged from the pressure chamber via a damping device or flows into the pressure chamber via a one-way valve.
Hydraulic tensioning systems in the construction described previously are preferably used in chain drives of internal combustion engines, wherein, for pressurizing the tensioning system with hydraulic fluid, the housing is connected via an opening to the pressure circulating lubrication system of the internal combustion engine.
The damping device of hydraulic tensioning systems must be adapted exactly to the conditions of use, because the flow cross section or the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid via the damping device directly influences the damping of the piston.
As an example, from DE 40 15 708 C1, a hydraulic tensioning system is known. The hollow-cylindrical piston closed on one side by a piston floor has, in its hollow space, a ring-shaped disk that contacts the piston floor with a planar end face. The ring-shaped disk is provided with a passage borehole that communicates with throttling channels. The pressure chamber extends into the interior of the hollow-shaped piston. In the case of inward movement of the piston into the housing, the pressurized hydraulic fluid flows through the passage borehole of the ring-shaped disk and the throttling channels via an opening in the piston floor, for example, into a collection chamber allocated to the tensioning system.